Edmund l



(No Model.)

E. L. STAPLES.

, I STEP LADDER. No. 265,173. Patented Sept. 263-11882.

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U ITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

EDMUND L. STAPLES, OF ILION, ASSIGNOR TO SOLOMON FORD, OF MOHAWK, NEWYORK.

, STEP-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 265,173, datedSeptember 26, 1882.

Application filed May '27, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND L. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States,resident at llion, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Step Ladders; and I doherebydeclare the following to be afulhclear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference markedthereon, which formapart of this specification.'

Figure 1 of the drawings represents a vertical sectional view of mydevice opened and Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the ladder closed.

This invention relates to step-ladders; and it consists in the novelconstruction hereinafter described, by means of which the uprightsections pivoted together may be locked and unlocked in both the openand closed positions bydoperating the shelf, substantially as specifieThe letter A of the drawings represents the section of my ladder inwhich the steps 0 are secured in the usual manner, and B represents thesection which is adjusted in or out at will to serve as a brace orsupport. These two sections are pivoted together, as shown at d, and theadjustment of section B is effected by moving its bottom to or from thebottom of section A, as may be desired.

The letter D represents a shelf pivoted by its arms ff to the braces E,as shown, and in such manner that the rear ends of said arms shall restagainst the lower side of a step, a, when the sections are separated asfar as possible. The arms of the shelf are also pivoted to the siderails of section B, as represented. The braces E are pivoted at theirtops to the arms ff of the shelf, and at their lower ends arerespectively pivoted to the transverse pivoted arms G. These arms Garefour in numher, two of which are pivoted to the side rails of section Aand the other two to the side rails of section B, as represented in thedrawings. One pivotpin only is employed for securing the brace E andarms Gr together on each side of the ladder, such pin being passedthrough both said arms and said brace, as shown. It will be observedthat by this peculiar construction and arrangement of the shelf, itsextended arms, and the brace E, together with the arms G, aknuckle-joint is formed at the point y on each side, by means of whichthe section B may be operated and moved at its base, either inward oroutward, by raising or lowering the shelf D. It is obvious, also, thatwhen the shelf is raised the sections are brought on nearly a' parallelline, and that while said shelf rests within the walls of section B in avertical position the sections are securely locked together. To unlockthe sections the shelf is turned downward. When the arms fof the shelfare brought upward until their rear ends rest under a step, c, the armsG assume a position slightly curved upward beyond a right line, andthereby lock the sections apart. To unlock them from this position theoperator lifts the shelf upward.

A shelf has been combined with a step-ladder in such a manner that theshelf can be antomatically turned into position for use when the ladderis opened, and can be folded when the ladder is closed; but in saidconstruction the parts were not so arranged as to cause them to belocked in the closed position. My arrangement causes an attempt to openor close the ladder-sections without the agency of the shelf to bring adirect end-pressure of two of the hinged pieces on each other, while thepivotal points, with each other and with the ladder-sections of saidhinged pieces, are in a direct line.

I claim as my invention- The combination of the shelf D, having arms ff,with the braces E, arms G, and sections A and B, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

E. L. STAPLES.

\Vitnesses:

THEo. MUNGEN, PHILIP O. MAST.

